Suction nozzle



Dec. 20, 1938.

A. S, JUELSON sUCTIoN NoZzLE Filed April 27. 1935 Patented Dec. 20, 1938UNITED AsTAras PATENT oFFicE ...stima Application `April 27, 1935,serial 10.18.591 y s claims.- '(ol. 15-158) This invention' relates to asuction nomle for a suction cleaner or similar devices. Y

An object of the invention is to provide a suction nozzle which isprovided with means for readily picking up threads and other objectswhich the ordinary type of nozzle cannot pick up or can pick up onlywith great diiliculty. A further object. is to provide a nozzle in whichthe intake slot is diminished in size when .-the' nozzle cleaner. Ifdesired, the housing A may be constructed as a part of a direct suctioncleaner of the pusher type.

The rotatable member B is shown formed of a U-shaped metal strip IIhaving the ends thereof turned to form anges I2. A pair of screw pins I3extend through the end anges I2 and serve as mvots upon which the memberB may rock. Preferably, the end flanges are extended to provide lockingor stop abutmeits I 4, as illustrated more\clear ly in Figs. 4 and 5-Secured to the rocking member Il is a napengaging member or comb whichmay be of any suitable construction. Within the U-bend of the metalmember I I is clamped a strip I5 of wood `or' other suitable material in'which is secured a row of brushes I6. The inner side of the U- shapedstrip ll is preferably extended to form a lip I'I'which serves as abacking or buttress for the brushes I6, while at the same time con- 5'trolling the size of the intake opening. through which air and foreignmatter enter the nozzle.

With the rotatable member B in the position adjacent the casing openingA', it will be obl0 is moved in one direction. .A further object isserved that the forward edge portion of member 10 to provide a nozzlewith brush and valve means Bbengages the adjacent wall I8 of. casing Aso by which strings, thread, etc. are carried. by the as tosubstantially seal the forward portion of brush to a diminished intakeopening, where inopening A'. Between ,the lip l] and the rolled creasedsuction carries the threads, etc. into the edge portion I9 of casing A,to the rear of opennozzle. Other specific objects and advantages ing A',is aslot 20 which serves as the intakei will appearas the specificationproceeds. slot for the nozzle. As shown more clearly in 'Ihe inventionis illustrated, in a preferredv em- Figs. 2, 3,- 4 and 5, Athe intakeslot 20 is rendered y bodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in widerand narrower by the operation of the rockl Whiching member B. As shownmore clearly in Figs.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a nozzle embody- 2 and 5, the slot 20 isrelatively wide because the 20 ing my invention; Fig. 2, a bottom planview lip I'I is almost in a vertical plane, while in Figs. showing theintake slot in fully opened position; 3 and 4, the slot 20 is relativelynarrow because Fig. 3, a bottom plan view showing the intake the lip I'Iis approaching a horizontal plane. slot partly closed; Fig. 4, a detailsectional View Inthe latter position of the rocker member B,

showing the intake slot partially closed, the secthe lower rounded side2I ofthe U-shapedjmem- 25 tion being taken as indicated at line d-ri ofFig. 1; l ber II serves as a bearing upon which the fore- Fig. 5, a viewsimilar to Fig. 4, but showing the part of the nozzle rests. intake slotin full-open position; .and Fig. 6, a In the operation of the device,when the nozzle sectional view oi a modiedform of nozzle. is drawnrearwardly across the rug, the member In the illustrationgiven, Adesignates a nozzle B rocks to the position shown inFigs. 2 and 5, 30housing Aproviding on its lower side ,an intake the brushes I6 beingdrawnv to the substantially opening A; and B, a rotatable member mountedvertical positioz shown in these figures. The er1-l adjacent opening A'and partially controlling said gagement of the stop portion M of flangesIl with opening. v e the portion I-9 of casing A prevents further rotax'I'he nozzle of housing A may be of any suittion of member B. Thebrushes I6 are thus held 35 able construction. In the illustrationgiven, the in a position in which they are eiective lfor gathhousing isprovided with an integral rearwardly ering threads and other .objectsordinarily diiiiextending pipe ill, which may --be secured to` cult topick up with a `suction cleaner.' 'As the a hose from the vacuum cleaneror to a pipe nozzle is moved forward again, the member B m which isattached to the hose from the vacuum automatically rocks't the positionshown in Figs. 40

3 and 4. and it will be observed `that'the brushes are brought almost toa horizontalposition, -and with their end portions 'directly at'theentrance of the narrowed intake slot 20. In this mann-er',

the threads and other'objects areplaoed in a 15V trailingpcsition inwhich they may easily slip on the brushes IS, while the increasedsuction resulting from the narrowing of the intake aperture leads to theready removal of the threads, lint,

etc. Thus the forward and rearward strokes of the nozzle' result'in aconstant rocking of member B and a constant widening and narrowing 'ofthe intake slot 29.

As alreadyv pointed out. the action of the brushes 'cooperatiwith thenarrowing .of the 55 intake slot to remove lint, etc.; however, thenozzle is still an efficient device without such brushes in that thechanging of the size of the intake slot with the resultant increasingand decreasing of the suction, serves to effectively clean rugs and totake up dust, lint, strings, etc. The rearward movement of the nozzlewith the resultant wide opening of slot 20 serves to draw in largevolume the loose dust, etc. on the rug. When the nozzle is then movedforward over the same area, the narrowed intake slot with its increasedsuction serves to dislodge and remove string and objects difficult toremove, and this may be accomplished without the aid of brushes. Iprefer,

however, to vemploy brushes or the equivalent as illustrated. v

the tiltable device in the opposite dir ection is limited by theengagement of member 22 with the shoulder 29 of the upper casing. t

In the modified .construction shown in Fig. 6, the device rocks uponpivot 26 and is limited in its rocking movement by the engagement ofmember 24 with shoulder 28 and the engagement of member 22 with shoulder2S.

In the 'operation of the device show -n in Fig. 6,

if dust, lint, etc. should accumulate behind the member 26 and adjacentshoulder 29, this material will be drawn into the nozzle when the metalmember 24 is moved away from shoulder 28. It will thus be seen that theaction of the rotatable member brings about a self-cleaning of thenozzle and its operating parts.

While in the foregoing illustrations, I have shown a mechanism which ia`operated automatically by the contact of the rotatable member with asurface upon which the nozzle is moved, it will be understood that othermeans for effecting movement of the rotatable or tiltingA member can bebrought about by the engagement of other parts with the surface uponwhich the nozzle is moved, without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

While I have shown the nozzle of a certain specific type, it will beunderstood that the invention is applicable to many types of nozzles andnozzles employing the invention may be formed as a part of directsuction devices machines, etc.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearnessofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should beunderstood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed asbroadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. A suction nozzle comprising a housing affording an intake opening, apivoted valve member carried by said housing and provided with a lipcontrolling the size of said opening, means actuated by the movement ofthe nozzle over a surface for rotating said valve, and stop means `forlimiting the extent of rotation of said valve.

2. A suction nozzle comprising a housing having an intake opening, andair-impervious means movable into alternate positions in said openingfor varying the size of said opening and so formed as to provide at alltimes a free passage for air adjacent one edge of said opening, themovement of said means being automatically accomplished by'a reversal inthe direction of -travel of the nozzle upon a surface being cleaned,said means being effective to automatically reduce the size of saidopening upon movement of said nozzle in one direction and to increasethe size of said opening upon movement of said nozzle in anotherdirection.

3. A suction cleaner nozzle comprising a housing having a suctionopening, and imperforate means for automatically varying the suction atsaid opening only upon a reversal of movement of the nozzle upon asurface being cleaned, said means cooperating with said suction openingand so formed as to provide at all times a free passage for air adjacentone edge of said open- 4. A suction cleaner nozzle comprising a housinghaving a suction opening, movable means for varying the size of saidsuction opening, the operation of said means being dependent upon therelative movement of the nozzle with respect to the surface beingcleaned as said nozzle is moved in contact with said surface, said meansbeing equipped with laterally projecting members for limiting itsmovement, said laterally projecting members being equipped with pivotswhereby said means is mounted in said housing. y

5. In a nozzle of the chanacter set forth, a housing affording an intakeopening, a rocker member pivotally mounted in the central portion ofsaid housing and equipped with a brush, said rocker member beingactuated by the movement of the nozzle over a surface, stop means onsaid rocker member for maintaining said brush in a trailing positionwhen said nozzle is moved over a surface in one direction, said stopmeans also being adapted to engage said housing to prevent flow of airon one side of said rocker member as the nozzle is being moved over asurface in one direction and to disengage said housing to permit ow of.air when the movement of said nozzle is reversed. i v

6. In a nozzle of the character set forth, a housing affording an intakeopening, a rocker member pivotally mounted in said housing, means forrotating said rocker member to a f'lrst position as the nozzle is movedover a surface in one direction and to a second position as the nozzleis moved in a reversed "direction, and means for preventing the passageof air on one side of said rocker member when said rocker member is ineither saidnfirst or second positions, said means being adapted topermit the passage of air when said rocker member is being rotated.

' AGNES S. JUELSON.

